Chapter 119: The Submission of the Five Provinces

Xu Jie’s eyes rolled back as he collapsed to the ground. The rock armor that had encased his body shattered and fell away, piling up beside him.

Lin Feng stood still, his sword sheathed, and the entire venue fell into a chilling, eerie silence. A moment later, a thunderous roar of cheers erupted from the audience.

"Grandmaster Lin, invincible!"
"Grandmaster Lin, mighty!"

Standing on the high platform, Long Yaoyang stared blankly, his lips trembling. He had never imagined that Lin Feng could not only hold his own against a Grandmaster-level expert but actually slay him. Most importantly, Lin Feng’s gaze had now turned toward him!

Long Yaoyang’s legs gave way, and he nearly collapsed. In this moment, true panic finally set in.

"Mr. Andrew, what do we do? Grandmaster Xu has lost! What are we going to do now?"

Andrew’s eyelids twitched at the sight. While Xu Jie was not considered the absolute pinnacle among Grandmasters, his defensive capabilities were among the best in the entire Skull Society. Yet, this kid Lin Feng had shattered Xu Jie’s defenses with a single sword strike and killed him in one move! Even Andrew would have had to expend significant effort to defeat Xu Jie; he hadn't expected Lin Feng to be so clean and efficient. That heart-stopping sword technique, in particular—even with his own Grandmaster-level senses, he couldn't track the trajectory or fathom the mystery of that strike. It was simply too powerful.

Andrew turned to look at Long Yaoyang, his expression indifferent and his voice icy.

"Long Yaoyang, this boy’s strength has far exceeded my imagination. Xu Jie is dead, and even I am likely no match for him. Therefore, the plan has failed."

"As the provider of this intelligence, you should pay the price for this failure, shouldn't you?"

What!

Hearing this, Long Yaoyang immediately grasped Andrew’s intent. This bastard wanted to kill him to cover his tracks and intended to pin the blame for Xu Jie’s death and the failure of the entire plan on him. He was being made the scapegoat!

"Mr. Andrew, you can't! I have been loyal to the Skull Society, and besides, I..."

Andrew narrowed his eyes, unwilling to hear Long Yaoyang’s excuses. With one hand, he seized Long Yaoyang by the throat, lifted him to the edge of the platform, and simply let go, casting him off the edge.

"Ah! Andrew, you bastard, you will die a miserable death!"

Only now did Long Yaoyang realize how naive he had been. He had thought that even if his martial arts cultivation was weak, as long as he relied on the Heavenly Dragon Hall and the Skull Society, he could command the wind and rain in China. However, when faced with Lin Feng’s reckoning, weakness was the original sin. He had tried to use others as a blade, but as the one wielding it, he was too weak and had ultimately been consumed by his own weapon.

"Ah—"

Long Yaoyang fell from the dozen-meter-high platform. He landed on his legs, and the sound of bones snapping echoed in the air. His body suffered multiple fractures upon impact, and he lost all sensation below the waist instantly.

He survived the fall, but he was left a paraplegic. This was Long Yaoyang’s final destination.

Having disposed of Long Yaoyang, Andrew clapped his hands as if he had cleared away useless trash. His gaze swept over the leaders of the various factions on the platform, and he said mockingly:

"Gentlemen, until we meet again. I had intended to wipe you all out personally, but time is running out—that brat Lin Feng is coming up here. As the saying goes, 'of the thirty-six stratagems, running is the best.' I’ll just leave you with one piece of news."

"My master, Xiong Wanhong, will soon return to China. When he does, you will all have to bow and submit to him! We shall meet again then!"

With that, Andrew turned and left without hesitation. His figure flashed and vanished into the dark corridor at the side of the platform. A moment later, when Lin Feng arrived on the platform with his sword in hand, Andrew had already fled.

***

"Grandmaster Lin, I truly had eyes but failed to recognize a true master that day. I have offended you deeply, and I beg you to be magnanimous and show mercy!" Upon seeing Lin Feng, Wang Lisha immediately stepped forward and bowed in apology, her posture submissive.

Back in Binhai City, she had personally accused Lin Feng of being a toad lusting after a swan. Now, it was clear that Lin Feng was none other than Grandmaster Lin. Not only that, but he had won the Five Provinces Martial Arts Tournament and become the overlord of the underground world in the five coastal provinces. Even the Amaterasu Association would have to mind its manners if they wanted to set foot in the coastal region.

Strength dictates status, and since Lin Feng had killed a Grandmaster-level expert in one strike, his strength was clearly at the pinnacle among Grandmasters. Such a dragon among men—forget dating Li Yating, even marrying her immediately would be a boon!

It wasn't just Wang Lisha. After the invasions by the Molo Society and the Skull Society, the leaders of hundreds of factions across the five coastal provinces finally understood one truth: only a Grandmaster is true power! Only a Grandmaster could truly protect the five coastal provinces. Otherwise, in the eyes of various powers, the five provinces were nothing but a pile of scattered sand, chickens on a chopping block, waiting to be slaughtered.

"Grandmaster Lin, thank you for your timely intervention! If it weren't for you, we would have lost our lives!"

"That's right, Grandmaster Lin! The Fang family of Qingyun City! From this day forward, we shall follow your lead in all matters. Your words are our decree, and your commands are the Fang family’s code!"

Fang Wenqing, head of the Qingyun City Fang family, knelt on one knee, cupping his hands in a salute to Lin Feng. With the Fang family leading the way, other factions followed suit, offering their loyalty and kneeling on one knee.

"Grandmaster Lin, the Liu family of Suzhou follows your lead!"
"Grandmaster Lin, the Kun family of Huiyun City follows your lead!"
"Grandmaster Lin, the He family of Chuzhou City follows your lead!"

One by one, the leaders knelt, their eyes burning with fervor as they looked at Lin Feng. The days of the five coastal provinces being bullied were finally coming to an end. Other provinces had their own top-tier combatants to protect them, while the five coastal provinces had spent decades being harassed, bullied, and annexed. It was precisely for survival that they had united, but they had grown tired of such a life!

With Grandmaster Lin here, who would dare look down on the five coastal provinces? Who would dare seize the interests belonging to the factions of the five provinces? They would certainly face Lin Feng’s reckoning. From this day forward, the five coastal provinces would stand tall again and no longer suffer humiliation!

Lin Feng looked at the leaders kneeling before him and nodded slightly. Originally, he had been concerned that integrating these scattered factions would be a massive headache. It seemed his worries were unnecessary.

Lin Feng helped the Fang family head, Fang Wenqing, to his feet and said with a smile:

"You are too kind. I have only done what needed to be done. In the days to come, I will need your assistance as I take up this mantle!"

"Grandmaster Lin, rest assured, we will do our utmost to serve you and harbor no two minds."

"No two minds!"

The leaders of the various factions spoke in unison, collectively acknowledging Lin Feng’s status and honoring him as the undisputed leader of the underground world of the five coastal provinces!